Chelsea’s captain, Reece James, has made a confident declaration ahead of their opening Premier League match against Fulham. The defender categorically dismissed any doubts from sceptics based on the club's pre-season performances, setting the championship title as the single aim for his side.
Speaking about the London derby, James stated that it wouldn’t be a level playing field:
I keep hearing talk about how Fulham will beat Chelsea because of what people have seen in pre-season. Honestly, I think they’re in for a colossal disappointment. We will defeat Fulham, and I don't expect it to be a tight match. I'm aiming for us to score at least three goals.
James also laid out the team's ambitions for the new campaign, stating their readiness to fight for the Premier League title:
This is Chelsea. We’re not going into this season hoping to just finish somewhere in the top four. We're entering it with a firm belief that we can win the Premier League. People can laugh at this right now—let them laugh. But when the final whistle blows and Chelsea put three past Fulham, everyone will understand just how serious this team is. We know exactly what we're capable of. Our goal is the title. Anything less is unacceptable.
